B2C11TH ANNUAL B2CCONTENT MARKETING BENCHMARKS, BUDGETS, AND TRENDS
INSIGHTS FOR 20211 TABLE OF CONTENTS SURVEY TERM DEFINITIONS m INTRODUCTION...... 3 Content marketing: A strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing m KEY FINDINGS...... 4 valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience—and, m MATURITY & STRATEGY...... 5 ultimately, to drive profitable customer action. m TEAM STRUCTURE & OUTSOURCING...... 10 Success: Achieving your organization’s desired/ m CONTENT CREATION & DISTRIBUTION...... 17 targeted results. m METRICS, GOALS & OVERALL SUCCESS...... 26 Note: In instances where we observed notable m BUDGETS & SPENDING...... 31 year-over-year differences, this report contains comparisons with findings from last year’s 10th m INSIGHTS FOR 2021...... 35 annual survey—reported on in B2C Content m METHODOLOGY...... 40 Marketing 2020: Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends. m ABOUT...... 41
ANN LISA STEPHANIE STAHL CATHY McPHILLIPS HANDLEY MURTON General Manager, CMI VP Marketing, CMI Chief Content Officer, ROBERT ROSE JOSEPH “JK” MarketingProfs BEETS Research Director/ Chief Strategy Advisor, CMI KALINOWSKI Report Author, CMI Creative Director, CMI KIM MOUTSOS VP Content, CMI
2 INTRODUCTION
elcome to our annual B2C Content Many B2C marketers reported adjusting quickly W Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets, and when the pandemic hit; perhaps their companies Trends report. Here we present the results from were doubling down on digital, heavily engaging B2C marketers who replied to our 11th Annual in virtual events, or trying to keep on top of rapidly Content Marketing Survey. changing analytics resulting from more people being at home and online. All these scenarios The events of 2020 have certainly reshaped created the need for new content, formats, and how organizations conduct their marketing. strategies. At the time of this survey, content marketers were still reeling from the events that took As we move into 2021 in a world where most place during the first half of 2020. As we gatherings are still limited, direct-to-consumer will usher in 2021, we are still facing constant continue to drive B2C. Successful B2C marketers change and uncertainty. will focus on creating content experiences and building relationships in the digital world.
3 KEY FINDINGS
B2C content marketers are Many have small content Nearly half have established becoming more strategic. marketing teams. online communities.
Seventy-three percent of respondents report Consistent with our past research, 52% Forty-eight percent say their organization their organization has a content marketing report their organization has a small (or one- has established an online community. The strategy. Of those, 42% have a documented person) marketing/content marketing team survey defined an online community as a strategy, up from 33% the previous year. serving the entire organization. See page 13. space where your audience can engage with See page 7. each other and your brand in the form of •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• discussions, posts, surveys, etc. See page 21. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Livestreaming video •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• They responded quickly saw a big jump in use. when the pandemic hit. Facebook is the top social When we looked at the content types B2C media platform. Eighty-two percent agree their organization marketers are using compared with one year made quick changes due to the pandemic. ago, livestreaming video had the biggest Facebook is the social media platform that The top reported adjustment was “changed increase (35% vs. 13% the previous year). B2C marketers use most often (both organic our targeting/messaging strategy” (63%). See page 20. and paid). That was also the case last year. See pages 8 and 9. The use of organic Instagram and YouTube increased over last year, by seven and 10 percentage points, respectively. See pages 23 and 25.
4 11TH ANNUAL
B2CMATURITY CONTENT& STRATEGY MARKETING BENCHMARKS, BUDGETS, AND TRENDS
5
INSIGHTS FOR 2021 MATURITY & STRATEGY
41% of B2C marketers report their organization is in the sophisticated/mature phase of content marketing maturity.
How B2C Marketers Rate Their Organization’s SOPHISTICATED Content Marketing Maturity Level Providing accurate measurement to the business, scaling across the organization 7% 12% MATURE ■ Sophisticated Finding success, yet challenged with integration across ■ Mature the organization 24% ■ 29% Adolescent ADOLESCENT ■ Young Possessing a business case, seeing early success, ■ First Steps becoming more sophisticated with measurement and scaling 28% YOUNG Experiencing growing pains, challenged with creating a cohesive strategy and a measurement plan Base: B2C content marketers. B2C Content Marketing Benchmarks, Insights for 2021. Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfs, July 2020. FIRST STEPS Doing some aspects of content, but have not yet begun to make content marketing a process
6 MATURITY & STRATEGY
42% of B2C marketers indicate their organization has a documented content marketing strategy, up from 33% the previous year. 68% report their organization made major or moderate adjustments to their content marketing strategy in response to the pandemic. 51% describe the adjustments as both short- and long-term.
Percentage of B2C Marketers Impact of Pandemic on With a Content Marketing Strategy B2C Content Marketing Strategy
6% 5% ■ Major ■ Yes, and it is documented ■ Moderate ■ Yes, but it is not documented 26% ■ Slight 22% ■ No, but plan to within 12 months 27% 42% ■ None ■ No, with no plans Base: B2C content marketers whose Base: B2C content marketers. 31% organizations have a content marketing strategy. B2C Content Marketing Benchmarks, Insights for 2021. 42% B2C Content Marketing Benchmarks, Insights for 2021. Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfs, July 2020 Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfs, July 2020.
Nature of Ad ustments Made to B2C Content Marketing Strategy as a Result of Pandemic
9% ■ Short-term adjustments ■ Long-term adjustments 34% ■ Both short- and long-term adjustments ■ Unsure
51% Base: B2C content marketers whose organizations ad usted 6% their strategy in response to the pandemic. B2C Content Marketing Benchmarks, Insights for 2021. Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfs, July 2020.
7 MATURITY & STRATEGY
Most B2C marketers surveyed agree their organization made quick and effective pandemic-related changes and expect the changes to stay in effect for the foreseeable future.
B2C Marketers’ Opinions About Changes Their Organization Made to Content Marketing in Response to Pandemic
Our organization made uick changes 9% 7% 2% due to the pandemic. 46% 36%
Our organization made effective changes 11% 6% 3% due to the pandemic. 38% 42%
We expect some of the changes we made to stay in effect for the foreseeable future. 36% 48% 12% 3% 1%